Government Invests Over $21B in Student Grants and Exam Support

Education Minister Sonia Parag alongside students and parents who collected their ‘Because We Care’ cash grant in June 2026

In support of the educational and nutritional welfare of children across Guyana, the Ministry of Education spent over $21 billion on various programmes during the first half of 2026.

According to the half-year report released by the Ministry of Finance on Monday, the Education Ministry distributed the “Because We Care” uniform and transportation grants in June 2026. These amount to $85,000 per child, benefiting over 206,000 public and private school children and bringing the total to $17.5 billion in grants.

Additionally, fees covering eight subjects for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) were paid for by the government, totalling $853.3 million. This support has reached 13,071 CSEC and 666 CAPE students from both public and private schools.

The report also noted that $3.4 billion of the allocated $7 billion for the National School Feeding Programme was spent. As of June, 38,012 children received juice and biscuits, while 52,637 benefited from breakfast and 38,032 were provided with hot meals in schools across the country.

The total investment across grants, exam fees and the school feeding programme amounts to approximately $21.7 billion, demonstrating the government’s unwavering commitment to the academic advancement of Guyana’s youth.